Originally the song began,’what would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and throw tomatoes at me?’ The Beatles changed the lyrics for obvious reasons. Not that they would have sang out of tune I’m sure.
I had to duck yesterday as abuse poured in from the public gallery during my trial, it rarely happens to me actually but ‘Silk Cut’ assures me that it’s better to be abused than applauded. The first person to my defence was actually the Prosecutor, who made it clear that contempt proceedings would be heading their way if they carried on.
I didn’t have to say a word. And I didn’t worry as I was on ‘local turf’, the Magistrates’ Court which I started my career in, where I know all the prosecutors, the court clerks, security and even large quantities of the local constabulary. ‘John Bull’ was downstairs. One feels safer when surrounded by friends.
Odd mob
I went to my Aunt’s retirement/birthday party this week, a brief visit between, well, briefs. The most striking thing is what a diverse group of friends she has, from civil servants to fantasy writers and actors. My own friends are equally an odd mob and go from city boys to novelists to death row exonerees.
Last night there was a mixed bag out. ‘John Bull’ and ‘Pretty Boy’ both complained about their FTD sobriquets. ‘Pretty Boy’ positing his complaint in the same week that he’s having elective lazer eye surgery so that he never has to wear glasses again…. no comment. Or in the same week that a girl just popped down from the North of England to have dinner with him…hmmm.
And, ‘Almost Giant’ complained that he is sans sobriquet as did ‘Furry Face’. Whilst they complained, ‘John Bull’ and ‘Pretty Boy’ had out the smart phones googling for references to themselves in earlier blogs.
This doesn’t all lead to a, ‘oh look how lovely it is, to have such a lovely mob of friends’ type of blog post. Although, yes, they’re all darling etc etc.
No, instead, my mob, my Aunt’s mob, the depth, breadth, diversity made me think that there’s something a little more dangerous in the air. Whilst the rest of the world is falling out and individual interest takes prime position, there are groups who are starting to buddy up together.
And friends form a much stronger phalanax against an enemy then persons paid to, or persuaded to stand shoulder to shoulder. The odd companions who stand together through friendship are a much stronger mob.
A far right friendship
So, when one reads about the tea party Europe’s fair right have enjoyed today, one can only feel a little nervous. Although only a few individuals have travelled to Denmark for the meeting, those that have represent far right grounds from all over Europe, including members from England’s own EDL. They have been joined by far right groups from Germany, Sweden, Poland, Norway and of course their host country Denmark. It comes in the same week that an Al Qaida inspired gunman struck in France and the German Security Services accepted that they have a difficulty with active neo-nazi cells committing racially aggravated murder.
The difficulty which the American far right has always had is that it has never been able to unify behind a single doctrine or into a single organisation. The same is true for the English far right who have repeatedly turned inwards on each other and broken down.
The danger comes if a network of non-competing far right groups get friendly. That seems to have been what is reflected in Denmark today. And of course, the economic and political conditions which exist in Europe at present are such that the far right really could take advantage. Combine that with modern communication methods, in particular, skype, twitter, facebook etc, they can communicate and co-ordinate efforts in a global way.
Perhaps as ever I am worrying about nothing, because today a group of various campaigners from different causes came together to protest against the far right’s international gathering. And the counter protest had the weight of the numbers again as they do here.
Worse comes to worse and the far right does make a come back, I’ll be first up the mountain with my mob, ‘climb every mountain’ and all that jazz, probably do without the lederhosen.
FTD